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Palisade Found - Part III
Verdant Field The wavy blue-green grass grows to about knee-height on an average human adult in this field of gently sloping ground that angles down to the east, following the track of a rather well-worn path that leads toward a broad expanse of mist-shrouded jungle. Jagged black-purple mountains capped by ice and snow loom to the north and west. A roiling apple-green sea froths along a rocky shore to the south. ---- Sixmoon wanders down the ramp of the Athena, PDA in hand. He steps off the ramp and into the knee-high grass. He walks off to the east, taking about six steps before he slows, stops, and then kneels into the grass. He brings up the PDA, scanning with the sensor module. He chuckles. Jordan stands by, idly gazing out at the jungle while waiting for them to start to moving. Marlan turns to look over her shoulder at Urfkgar then nods slightly, "Fine." she watches Sixmoon walk past them then looks towards Noz again, "Grab another climbing kit, plus a few lights and emergency kits." she motions towards Tryklynn, "I want him to carry the psi blocker." then turns back to Noz, "And i leave you in charge of determining what equipment we need to try and communicate with them." Voliarin watches still. He looks over to Jordan, "That'll hurt when you take it off, I think." he says, pointing a finger to the tape. Mazzonnoz reaches into his pocket, coming up with a psi blocker. He holds it out to Tryklynn as the sound of chuckling draws his attention. "What do you find funny, Professor? More visitors?" Jordan looks at Noz, and grins a bit, and then turns to look at Rin. "Not nearly as much as having one of those things suck my brain out," she responds to him. Tryklynn look at the psi-blocker, his head tilting. His small eyes blink, and he just drops it into his pocket with a shrug of small shoulders. Sixmoon gestures broadly to the sweeping waves of grass as he stands up. "Antennae. Every single blade of grass serves as a transmitter. They've been monitoring us since we landed, I expect." He studies the PDA display once more. "Nanotech, again. The psi blockers seem to be a good idea, if a little late. But, at least now our reticent friends might be more encouraged to come out and --" His words are cut off by a juddering thump from the east. His eyes widen, and he turns to look toward the expanse of mist-shrouded trees. Another thump shakes the ground. Feels closer. The Lotorian blinks, his ears flattening. "That zzzoundzzzz ... large, yezyezyez." Marlan looks off to the East, "Come visit?" she looks around, more at Tyklynn then the others, "Anyone have binoculars?" she shifts her gaze to the east, "Why the psi-blocker...don't tell me the grass is also running psionic scans on us.." Urfkgar pops his neck as he cranes his head up to look around. He rolls away from the trail. Jordan instinctively looks east along with everyone else, eyes narrowing at the thumping. "Boy do I hope that's friendly," she comments. "You know what to do," Noz says. "Rin, you might want to stand a bit away from Tryklynn." The Timonae sidles towards the Lotorian. 'Just in case. What in Maza's cursed Universe was that?" Voliarin looks eastward, "I don't think they sound that nice, you know. I mean, nice beings normally don't thump like that." the aura remains the dark green. A third thumping sound can be heard. Then a fourth. The underbrush can be heard rustling - and then crumpling under the weight of something particularly huge and thunderous. Marlan taps her comm-link, "Get the ship powered up...i want visual and sensor scans of the area, stat." Marlan says to those within the ship. Jordan backs up a little, moving a bit closer to the Athena before she realizes what she's doing and stops, holding her position firmly. She doesn't actually take those steps back, though. Mazzonnoz seems to undergo a change of tactics, opting instead to stand on the Athena's ramp rather than remain among the high grass. He turns to anxiously face the source of the noises. Urfkgar stops his rolling once he's got a few meters between himself and the trail. He uses his arms to push himself up and look around in the direction of the jungle before collapsing again. Voliarin suggests, "Maybe someone should say a message to it?" he offers, "Anyone have a thing that makes voices louder?" Marlan frowns at somethign she hears through her comm-link, "Alright...everyone on the ramp, don't know what the hoop it is but i'llbe damned if its going to catch us all standing out here if its unfriendly." she shifts her gaze to Pavlo, "Get in the ship." she orders him specifically. Through the gap where Urfkgar cut down the trees a couple days ago emerges a carouseling trio of thick-trunked trees topped by bluish-green fronds that spiral down around the bark. The trees are mobilized by a series of root-like appendages jutting from the bases of their trunks. Pavlo jumps up up and looks around, trying to get a look over and around to see what's comming. The boy stays close to Marlan just incase. Then when she orders him into the ship he dashes for the ramp but still keeps trying to get a look. Jordan happily steps back onto the ramp, and then just stares at the thing moving towards them. Tryklynn looks uop at the huge tree things. He mutters two quiet syllables, stepping behind one of the big lizards. "Ot ... oh ..." Voliarin runs towards the ramp, "I wonder if those that live here are envirormentalists or something... maybe we should ask them if we can help plant a tree in place if they ask about it?" he says when he gets there. Marlan watches the trio of trees now approaching and does a visual scan to ensure none of the crew are 'in the way' of the moving trees. Assured that none are she shifts her attention back to the trees, "Doctor...care to send them a psionic greeting?" Mazzonnoz pulls out his PDA, looking down at it and letting it flip through frequencies as he tries to find the channel the nanite raindrops had been using the other day. Sixmoon blinks, watching as the intertwined trees - they seem to have laced their upper branches together in order to maximize their options for mobility - move closer, blotting out much of the glowing crescent of Palisade in the starry sky. Two other moons can be seen flanking the visage of the three tree-things as they thump closer to the Athena. As the jabbing roots come thumping down, they tear gouges in the knee-high grass, ripping divots of soil and sod loose. Zetral takes a few steps down from the ship, one hand dropping down to rest on his pistol grip for a moment, before he snorts, apparently realizing the futility of that. Voliarin smiles brightly and the aura turns a bright yellow aura, ~Hello! Anything you want to ask to us, perhaps?~ he sends towards the moving trees. Jordan moves closer to Noz, watching as he tries to capture the correct frequency. Mazzonnoz continues monitoring channels, looking for one these tree-things - if they are nanite-driven, like all the rest of the creations here - might be using. Urfkgar watches the trees a bit, grunts, and shakes his head. Crawling back towards the trail, he grumbles, "Stupid glowly place. All fake stuff. Smash stuff. Fix stuff." Pavlo stays on the boarding ramp, he can see better from there anyway without having to jump, "Maybe this whole place is like a big alife sensor array." Pav says. "An now it's fixing it's self." The rumbling leviathans twirl in their massive, branch-undulating and root-plunging ballet, and get within about one hundred feet of the Athena, casting the offworlders' vessel in shadow before coming to a complete stop. Their branches untwine and they straighten. Their roots dig into the soil. Within a few moments, the trees look as if they have grown here. They seem inert, unmoving, immobile. And then the broad lower trunks of each tree begin to glow blue in symmetrical patterns that appear to be forming letters. The first trunk reads: "With." The second trunk reads: "us." The third trunk reads: "come." Jordan continues to watch, flicking glances between the tree-things and Noz's PDA, a growing frustration showing in her face. She reaches back up towards the gauze covering her jack, and then lets her hand fall back down to her side as she reads the message in the trees. "Hope they are not madzzz for treez ..." Tryklynn's whisker slowly fall. "Firzzzt tradezz are alwayzzzz ..." His ears then perk, and he takes a step forward. "Wellzzz ... what we wantedzzz in firrszzzt plazze, yezyezyez?" Voliarin looks over to Tryklynn, "You didn't trade at all, if this planet was a company place you'd be called a thief." then he looks at the trees, "So I guess they don't talk that well, at least we can read what they have to say." Mazzonnoz looks up as a glow not from his PDA attracts his attention. "I've been called a thief before," Noz admits. "It's not that bad. I just wish I'd remembered to bring lighter fluid." Eyeing the trees cautiously, the Timonae first officer steps down from the Athena's ramp and moves towards the enormous trees. Zetral nods, slowly, as he moves down to stand beside Tryklynn, offerring softly, "Well, I imagine that if they wanted to kill us, they could do it fairly easily..." His lips quirk very slightly, as he studies the trees. Marlan does likewise, "A welcoming committeee." she notes for the others, "We'd be honoured to come with you." she says to the trees, "If you would show us the way." Pavlo looks to Marlan now then back at the trees. "Do I still haf to go back on the ship, Marly?" Jordan steps down off the ramp, eyeing the trees a bit dubiously. The words glowing in the trunk of trees slowly transform, each becoming an arrow - ---> - pointing toward the winding path that leads east, into the jungle. Marlan shifts her gaze back to Pavlo then over at the trees before finally glancing at Rin and back to Pavlo, she waves him over before turning her attention fully back to the trees and path, "VEry well then...thankyou." she says to the trees before stepping off towards the East. Tryklynn looks back to the Vollistan with a chuff. "Truzzt a zzlaverkin to not underzztandzz tradezz and all the mannerzzz of!" He then straightens out his jacket and tools with a huge jangly shake. "Yeeeee ..." His wods stop however, as he glances back to Pavlo. "Little Doczzz, you come with me, azzzizztant, yezyezyez." Sixmoon just gawks at the trees. He takes some scans, then looks over at Marlan and Mazzonnoz. A childish grin creeps onto his face. "It may not be Palisade, but it is *damned* interesting." Jordan heads towards the path as directed, raising an eyebrow at the professor's comment. Zetral takes a few steps forward so that he is walking at Marlan's side, his face dropping back into deathly seriousness as he moves along, gazing over his shoulder at the rest of the group. Voliarin makes his way off the ramp quietly for now, standing and more in a following mood. Marlan nods a small thanks to Tryklynn before shifting her gaze to Sixmoon with a smirk, "It always is Professor. If its *not* itneresting, you just haven't gone far enough, da." she steps off towarss the east. Misty Jungle The path winds its way through a thick jungle of pale pinkish-beige trunked trees with drooping gray-green fronds. A hazy mist wafts around the lower trunks of the trees, among the clusters of bristly-looking shrubs. ---- "Jordan..make sure you take scans of everything, record everything you can, da." Marlan notes as she walks along the path, gaze shifting from one tree to the other, "It really *is* beautiful, da." Molecules within the mist wrapping around the knees and ankles of the travelers begin to glow blue. In various languages, the glowing molecules spell out the following in the wavering mist: "Welcome." Mazzonnoz raises both eyebrows. "They've certainly put on a show," Noz notes, looking from the swirl at his feet to the swirl around others', and finally to the path ahead. "Welcome to what, is the question. 'Your certain doom' being the answer I'm hoping we'll avoid," he says drily. Jordan takes out her own PDA, and taps on it a bit awkwardly, obviously unused to using this interface, and dutifully scans and records everything. She glares at the offending mist. "Weren't for you, I could be a lot better at this," she mutters. "No one's doom is certain," comes the wavering reply written in glowing blue molecules on the mist. Zetral nods, glancing down at the mist as he strolls along. "I don't like this much at all.... But then, exploring is all about doing things you don't like..." he then grunts at the mist, "It is eventually." Marlan smirks suddenly, "Seems they're listening Noz....of course, they're not guranteein that doom *isn't* certain either..." she takes a few more steps, "care to introduce yourselves?" she asks. "What goodzzz izz exploringzzz if alwayzz thinkzz worzze izzz going to happenzzz." Tryklynn padpadpads after Marlan, his little legs pumping to keep up. "how elzze do you learnzzz new thingzzz?" Sixmoon chuckles at Zetral. "I don't know. Maybe they know something we don't." Voliarin looks over at Zetral, then to Jordan, then back down to the mist, satisfied reading the responses. Jordan eyes the new message, and clamps her mouth firmly shut, looking completely non-plussed and not at all reassured. Pavlo lifts his arms up and continues to jog along as the mist starts spelling out words in blue around him. "Weird." The boy comments then he looks to Jordan then back to grin at Tryklynn. "Da. 'Splorin's fun. Creepy but fun." "We are We Who Wait," the wavering mist message emerges in response to Marlan's question. Urfkgar drops back to trail behind the group. He gives the mist an absent glower, shrugs, and swivels his head left and right to give the jungle a more focused look. "Who do you wait for?" Marlan asks, making her way across the path, "Are you guardians?" "Are youzzz ztillzzz waitingzz?" Tryklynn quickly asks, his small ears perking tall. "You guys must be really patient." Voliarin says, "So... how long have you been waiting?" Marlan shifts her gaze to Rin and waits, pausing a moment so he might catch up to her. Zetral nods, slowly at the message. He reaches his free hand up to rub at his chin, looking rather thoughtful. Jordan grins at Pav, expression lightening as she watches him. "My guess would be they're waiting for us at the moment," she comments. "We wait for him," the wavering mist message appears, then transforms into a spiraling ghost arrow that dances from shroud to shroud of mist, working its way along the path until it comes to stop at the feet of Professor Sixmoon. The arrow then transforms once again: "We wait no more." Mazzonnoz chuckles at the deluge of questions. He fiddles with his PDA, again looking for the frequency controlling these nanobots - the puppet's strings, as it were - while following the path. At the glowing mist's answer, he stops, and looks from Sixmoon to the illuminated answer. "Will we get to meet you face to face?" he asks, gesturing vaguely with the PDA in his hand. "Or will you persist with ... this form of communication." "Close enough," Jordan notes, watching the mist swirling around until it stops at Sixmoon. Sixmoon blinks at the words undulating in the mist at his feet. His mouth falls open, but he doesn't speak. He just stares dumbly for the moment. Finally, the words transform once more: "We Who Wait have no one face." And then the glow subsides. The mist becomes just mist again. Zetral frowns as the arrow points towards Sixmoon. "What do you want to meet him for?" He asks, simply. Marlan pauses suddenly, eyebrow rising as it focuses its attention on Sixmoon, "The blue...its the same blue of the rain. Its the blue of hivers and Kamir...same energy perhaps." Tryklynn takes a step away from Sixmoon, looking at the professor skeptically. Whisprs fall flat along his muzzle as his ears flatten straight. "not zzure if itzzz good thing to be zzzelected by kmirzzz childrenzzzzz ... Crelsk's tongue flicks out. "I thought the Kamir were dead." "Hivers and Kamir are blue?" Jordan asks, surprise sounding in her voice. Mazzonnoz turns to look very deliberately at Marlan. "I think, perhaps, that you should collect our final payment before taking Sixmoon to meet our patient friends." Smirking at the Professor, he starts on his way down the path again. Pavlo watches as the misty words fade, "Awwww.. the cool glowy words has gone. We keep going now or what? Sixmoon gapes a little at Mazzonnoz. "Now, see, I already paid in full!" he finally manages to splutter as he walks after the Timonae. His steps are hesitant at first, but gradually they take on a more eager pace. Urfkgar looks around some more, waiting in the rear of the group. Zetral snorts, shaking his head slightly. "That's good to hear, I suppose." Marlan shifts her gaze to Jordan and then turns to follow Sixmoon once more, "They radiate blue light." she remarks, "Keep your sensors scanning..i don't have a good feelign about this." Voliarin looks down, "So what's wrong with having light? I mean, it just looks like some God tried to emulate Volir and didn't do a good job of it." Jordan nods at Pav. "We keep going kiddo-- and just cuz it isn't saying anything just now, doesn't mean they aren't going to again," she tells him, continuing down the path. She frowns at Marlan's answer, and then nods. "Yep, I'm doing that." Glittering Lake A rather ethereal-looking lake, all shimmery and blue-green, between the mist-shrouded jungle and, on the far shore, a village of prefabricated structures and mechanical support domes. Following the shore of the lake, curving around the rippling water, there's a well-worn footpath. ---- Sixmoon walks along the shore of the lake, PDA in hand as he studies the sensor module readout. "Ours are the only normal sentient lifeforms I'm detecting." He stops next to the rippling water of the lake, lowers the PDA and then looks toward Mazzonnoz. "Quite odd." Pavlo jogs a bit to catch up with the adults, tools clinking at his belt. Marlan gives Sixmoon and the lake only a curosry gaze, her attention on the pre-fab villiage across from them, "Everyone stay away from the lake...we don't need the water coming to life to drag anyone in with it." Pavlo freezes when Marlan says this. "SEEE! I Said the water was trying to get me b'fore on le terre and you said it wasn't." Jordan scans the lake as well as she can while still keeping a distance from it, beginning to look frustrated again. Zetral nods, once, his hand now sliding returning to his pistol grip as he eyes the village as he walks around. He glances over his shoulder at Pavlo. "The La Terran water wasn't trying to get you. It's nice, friendly water." Voliarin nods, "Yep, the water on La Terre is nice, and it's usually pretty warm too." Crelsk's tongue flicks out again, head tilting to one side as he eyes the lake. He hisses slightly, grip on the rifle tightening. Tryklynn only slowly draws to a halt, a handful of steps towards the lakes smooth surface. He chuffs out a short breath. "But how are you zzzupozzezzz to be findingzz outzz?" Folding his paws behind him, the small lotorian just shifts his weight back and forth from each ther ... though each sway draws him a breath closer to the expanse of wter, The water does, in fact, come to life as Marlan presaged: A mass of it rises from about six feet out, and gradually forms into a shape that mirrors the image of the Qua professor standing closest on the shore. Sixmoon finds himself staring at a liquid doppleganger. The mirror version even has its own water PDA. The lake-Sixmoon speaks in the professor's amplified, somewhat ghostly voice: "We mean no harm. Had we meant harm, then harm would have come much sooner than this. We are not programmed to harm. We are programmed to wait. And, when the waiting ends, to welcome. Our new programming aspect has been initiated." Tryklynn looks too Marlan and just snorts. "Zee?" Pavlo frowns at Zetral then at Rin his eyes narrowing, "You're jus' tryin ta confusimniate...." Then he sees the water come to life and immitate the professor. "Wow! ME DO ME next and he hurries forward to stand with Tryklynn. Urfkgar casually starts the charge on his plasma rifle as he follows along. He snorts and shakes his head. Then, he starts grumbling. He gives the H two O Qua an evil look before turning away from the lake. "Stupid glowly stuff." Mazzonnoz purses his lips. "You're getting much better at speaking our language," Noz notes. To Sixmoon: "I don't find it at all strange. All we've encountered so far are nanites." He looks scornful. "And we organic beings are so impatient. After all, our bodies start to decay after what, one, two hundred years of waiting?" The Timonae steps towards the doppleganger, looking at it with open curiousity - and perhaps some degree of admiration for the handiwork involved. "That village across the lake isn't for You Who Wait, is it. It's for us ..." "It's for *him*," the lake-Sixmoon replies, indicating the professor with a watery finger. "Although it might be best if you stayed. This contingency was not accounted for in the paradigm." Jordan raises an eyebrow at that, watching the watery clone of the professor. After a moment she shrugs, and surreptitiosly strips off the covering from her jack, making a face as the tape pulls some hair. Freed, she pops in the datacord, connects to the pda, and begins scanning much more happily now. Zetral nods, very slowly, as he gazes up at the professor. He rushes after Pavlo, licking his lips once, as he asks, "For how long?" Mazzonnoz looks from Zetral to Lake-Sixmoon expectantly, then down at his PDA. Still very interested in the digital presence of the processing center organizing this entire show ... "Forever," the doppleganger replies. "The secrets of this world - our technology - would prove far too tempting to other outsiders. It could be turned for malign uses." Sixmoon steps back from the lake, his head tilting a little, his PDA lowering. Marlan frowns a bit, "What is the purpose of remaining here?" she asks, "Why should anyone stay?" Jordan stares at the watery doppelganger, expression turning incredulous. "So what are we supposed to do for that long?" Voliarin asks, "But will we be able to get food and stuff okay?" the aura is a lighter green now. Zetral frowns, rubbing at his chin, "Well, shit... I'm not sure if that's a deal we can accept, We Who Wait. Forever is a very, very long time." Tryklynn takes a step back, crossing his arms. For a moment his whsikers fll, looking between the watery professor and the village and then back over his shoulder, upto the skys. "Foreverzzzz ..." He is silent, little nose wrinkling. but then he speaks up. "Actuallyzzzz ... thatzzz ... thatzzz not good ideazzz ... ezzzpezzially if you are protectingzzz your technologyzzz, yezyezyez. Good chanzze ... will backfirezz." Urfkgar's neck pops loudly as he looks over his shoulder briefly. He returns his attention to the jungle, "Stuckeded morerer time." "He is here," Noz notes, inclining his head to Sixmoon. "What reason do you have to exist? You are, apparently, done waiting>" Eyes nictate, rill raises higher as Crelsk hisses to himself. "Forever is not reasonable." Pavlo frowns and plops himsely down on the ground close to the water, leaning forward and experimentally sticking a finger into it, "Yeah, what if we don' wanna stay?" "The professor is not the first of his genetic line to set foot on this world," the doppleganger states. "But Those Who Came Before made it clear that only one would come to share our secrets. This aberration in the paradigm has created a complication to the potentiality matrix. Our sentinel trees could easily disable your vessel on a more permanent basis. We remain to complete the potentiality matrix, acclimate the scion, and secure the technology." Jordan makes a grab for Pavlo to pull him back from the water. "Not smart kiddo," she warns. "Tell us about the others." Marlan states, "Who sent them...who they were." she motions towards the village, "perhaps let us get a look around." at no point does she even mention their future, here or elsewhere. Tryklynn steps forward, waving a paw. "Waitzz waitzz waitzz ... needzz to zzpeakzz. needzz to tradezzz ... to add tradezz to your potennzzzialitiezzzz matrix, yezyezyez." "There were more than one of us in the clearing," Noz notes, his eyes narrowing. "There were more than one of us on the path, yet you welcomed us all. It would have been merely a matter of two or three more words to specify only Professor Sixmoon coming to this clearing." He points his PDA like an accusing finger at Lake-Sixmoon. "This sounds more and more like a con." Zetral nods, faintly, grunting once as he whispers, "Should have left somebody on the ship... The plasma cannon could have made short work of those trees, I think." Crelsk snorts at Pavlo. "Don't poke your fingers where they don't belong," he hisses, "Or you may lose one." His snout turns back to regard hydro-Sixmoon. Pavlo looks over his shoulder and pout-frowns at Jordan as she grabs his collar, "It sais It coulda hurt us plen'y already but didn'..." "We are incapable of deception," the doppleganger states. "You *are* welcome. But you are unaccounted for in the probability algorithms that comprise the potentiality matrix. This generates an aberration in our programming. We find ourselves in conflict. You have demonstrated no ill intent toward We Who Wait. You accompany He Who Shall Be. Yet we are responsible for securing the technology on this world so that it may not be twisted to evil ends." Sixmoon just stares at the watery mirror of himself, sagging slowly, finally sitting on his butt on the slope of the shore. He watches, muted and dumbfounded. Jordan shifts a hand firmly onto Pav's shoulder, and glances over at Marlan before nodding once in agreement with her statement. Bringing her attention back to Pav, she answers him. "Just cuz they don't mean harm doesn't mean they *won't* harm. A stove doesn't mean you any harm, but it'll still burn you if you touch it when it's on," she counters. "Though if we stay here, we'd have food, right?" Voliarin asks, "You know what we eat I hope..." "You would have ample food and resources," the doppleganger responds to the Light Singer. Zetral shoots a glare over at Voliarin. "We're not staying." He then shoots a questioning gaze over at Marlan. "Are we?" Marlan shifts a hard look to Voliarin then turns her attention back to the 'water', "He Who Shall Be....what will he be? Is he a descendant...or are all Qua descendents?" she asks, taking a hard look over at Sixmoon. Tryklynn shakes his head and walks upto the doppelganger, his tools rattling with each step. Looking up, the otorian pulls at his whiskers a bit, straightening them with a paw. "We are curiouzzz .. curiouzz folkzz, to come here, yezyezyez?" The lotorian chitters, looking down at the professor. "but not only arewe curiouzzz ... but zzo are folkzzz where we come from! And if we foundzzz out how togethere, zo will theyzz. And azz more vanizzh, the ore zzuzpizziouzz it becomezz, and then more will come, in bigger numberzz and your technolgiezzz, in more and more dangerzzz will be. Zzzzzooooo .. offerzz tradezzz, yezyezyez? You trade to let uz go ... we trad to tell folkzzz ... we came here and found nothingzzz." Crelsk's tail flicks around a bit as he shifts his weight. "I concur with the rockrat," he grunts. "He is a descendant," the water figure replies. It then turns toward the Lotorian. "Your proposal is not without merit. However, our matrix is not programmed with the abstract concept of trust. We are familiar with it in theory. But we are equally familiar with the slim likelihood of a secret staying secret. How can we trust you?" Pavlo frowns at the grownups, excluging Sixmoon then looks to the watery version of the Professor. "If wez not 'sposed to be here... How was 'he who shal be' 'spozed to get here by hisself?" "Because if we don't agree, you'll either keep us trapped here or kill us," Noz tells Lake-Sixmoon, then pauses. "He Who Shall Become. Become what?" Marlan steps forward now and towards the real Sixmoon, squatting down at his side. Marlan whispers "Professor...you will not be forced to remain here if you don't wish to...but if you know anything that would help explain this..." Sixmoon appears rather shell-shocked, listening to the doppleganger speak. "He Who Shall Be. Not He Who Shall Become. He Who Shall Be is now He Who Is. He was anticipated." The professor looks from Marlan to the doppleganger as those last three words are spoken. "That's not possible." Tryklynnchuffs out a breath, putting his paws on his hips. "Am kharashotechnozzz, yezyezyez, never went backzz on tradezzz." The lotorian then pauses. "But am not only one herezzz ..." His whiskers fall, as does his ears. And then he blinks. "Zend one ofyour zzmall critterzzz, to monitorzz our rezzponze, make zzure we our zzidezz of bargainzzz keepzz?" Then he looks up again. "Bezitezz .. truzzt, hazz to begin zzomewhere. Why notzzz here?" Jordan looks down at Pav. "That's a very good question, kiddo, and one I'd like to know the answer to as well." Urfkgar takes a knee, himself. He rests the plasma rifle on his thigh. He scratches at his shoulder and grumbles, "Stupid softskin. No care. Stupid glowly thingies say morerer stupid stuff. Stupid softskin want see stupid glowly thingy stuff. Stupid softskin stupid glowly thingy stuff. No say nope." "Incorrect," the doppleganger replies. "Although it did involve a matrix anticipating a series of probabilities and improbabilities, it never equated to an impossibility. No one's doom is certain. You could have perished making the journey around the Tomin star. You were anticipated. But our programming anticipated that you would be compelled by your programming to come alone." Jordan raises an eyebrow at that. "Programming?" she asks, looking over at Sixmoon again. Sixmoon gapes at that, raising his own eyebrows too. Finally, he just nods in resignation. "Nanites. I'm walking around with nanites in my head. That'd explain a lot." Marlan frowns and still squatting next to the professor looks over at the water, "And the technology you'd assimilate is him..." she notes. "But Why?" Mazzonnoz arches an eyebrow at Sixmoon, then at Marlan, remaining silent for the moment. Crelsk glances at Simoon. he mutters to himself in Grimlahdi. Zetral nods, very slowly, apparently beginning to understand as well. The lake-Sixmoon returns its attention to the Lotorian. "If all of you would be willing to carry nanotech monitors within yourselves to secure against revealing what you have seen here, then it might prove an adequate compromise." The doppleganger looks back to Marlan. "We do not seek to assimilate him. We will cease to be before much longer. Our purpose is nearly served." Jordan frowns at the idea of being infested with nannites, and looks to Marlan. Tryklynn looks back over his shoulder to marlan, whiskers waggling. "Zooo zmall, who would notizze, yezyezyez?" Voliarin shakes his head, "I don't think I can do that..." Voliarin answers, "Nanites might hurt us or something." glowing a reddish colored aura now. "Why do you even care if we tell others about what we see?" Noz says. "Your orbital platforms nearly destroyed us - and didn't, I expect, mostly because You Who Waited wanted Sixmoon to arrive here in one piece. This entire star system is quite capable of warding off any intruders who might care to make an appearance." Marlan shifts her gaze to Tryklynn harshly and then back to the nanites, "Might we see the village first." she asks, she tosses a harsh loko at Voliarin, "Silence, da." Urfkgar takes out his commlink and growls at it. "The orbital platforms protect Palisade," the doppleganger says. "We did not make them. They are a creation of The Shining Tyrants." Crelsk hisses. "The concept of having microscopic robots inside of me is... unpleasant." He tilts his head. "Shining Tyrants?" Tryklynn looks to Voliarin as his shoulders rise and fall. "Could alwayzzz zztayzz herezz." "They served your purpose. They brought us here," Noz presses. "And my guess would be they mean Kamir. You then? Who created you? Excuse me a moment." He speaks into his commlink. "We Who Wait were created by Those Who Came Before," the lake-Sixmoon answers. Pavlo backs away from the lake at this point, moving closer to Jordan, "I don't fink I likes that idea..." then he looks to the water Sixmon. "Shining Tyrants... Kamirs?" The boy asks. Mazzonnoz speaks into his commlink. Marlan raises to her feet and takes a look at the water then over at the village. She looks over at Crelsk and nods towards the path, that leads to the village. She turns back to the water, "What do Those Who Came Before look like?" she questions. Jordan nods at Pavlo, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, and giving them a squeeze. "There're worse things, kiddo. We'll see. Nothing's done yet," she tells him quietly. The lake-Sixmoon looks over at Pavlo and nods liquidly. "The Kamir are the Shining Tyrants. Or, if the databanks aboard your vessel are accurate, they *were* the Shining Tyrants, but are no more." The doppleganger then turns toward Marlan before pointing at Sixmoon. "Those Who Came Before look like him. They were Qua. Scientists and explorers. Ancestors." Zetral frowns as he absorbs this newest bit of information, hrming softly as he rubs at his chin. Sixmoon looks up at the sky. "Palisade has six moons." He glances over at Marlan. He chuckles, shaking his head. "I was so busy being amazed and terrified by this place that it never clicked until now." Urfkgar speaks into his commlink. Jordan frowns at Sixmoon. "What does that have to do with anything?" she asks. Marlan looks over at Sixmoon, frowning slightly, "Six moons? You're not suggesting some connecttion to the six rings are you.." Sixmoon looks over at Jordan. "Quaquan only has *two* moons. Why would our family name be *Six*moon?" Marlan chuckles suddenly at the almost too obvious connection. Pavlo pokes Jordan a little, "Silly. Sixmoon." He points at the professor. "Six Moons." He points Up at the sky. Jordan blinks as Marlan speaks, finally getting it. "Oh," is her one word response. "You have a point," she then adds, with a rueful smile. "If you were created by his ancestors, and his ancestors come from elsewhere, then knowledge of your technology exists outside of this system," Noz notes. "And the technology at large in our home is perhaps ten or fifteen years behind. We make mention of this place - what is the difference? Nanites can tear them to pieces the moment they land, and by the time our technology is such that your defenses can be overpowered - why would we come here?" The Timonae shrugs his shoulders and looks to the lake-creature as if the connection should be obvious. "Whether we come or go is a moot point. You mentioned that You Who Wait won't be here much longer. How much time do you have before your purpose is served? By the time an expedition is ready to come out here, you might have expired already>" Tryklynn 's whiskers swayback and forth as he looks to the sky and thn back to Sixmoon and then to the trees. he nods, his motion sharp. "Firzzzt time one of you no furzzz, have name that makezzz zzenzze, yezyezyea. Very practicalzz and zzivilizzed." Urfkgar speaks into his commlink. "Those Who Came Before established a terminus point in the potentiality matrix that would begin our final programming," the lake-Sixmoon explains. "The nanotechnology within He Who Shall Be would be awaiting the indication of the final eradication of the Shining Tyrants. At that point, the neurological compulsion to come to this world would begin within his mind." The doppleganger turns toward Mazzonnoz. "Your statement contradicts itself. You tell us that we are capable of stopping any threat, while acknowledging that we are soon no longer to be. He Who Shall Be will be alone on this world, with the technology, and he will largely be defenseless for a time. Until he has become fully acclimated." Voliarin listens now, the aura still red though. Zetral shoots a look over at Noz, rubbing at his eyes a short time later. He gazes back up at the lake-Sixmoon with a thoughful look. Crelsk listens as Lake-Sixmoon speaks, tail twitching back and forth. "So, you're gonna expire, stop functioning, and then Sixmoon is gonna be here all by himself-- doing what?" Jordan asks, after a time. "Learning to use the tech that's here? And then what?" Tryklynn turns and looks back to Mazzonnoz, his ears rising. "All life izzz tradezzz, yezyezyez. Not demandzzzz ... demandzzz only petzz fur up and ruffledzzz. You zzzhould underzztandzzz ..." The lotorian blinks, "Well maybe betterzzz if you had fur to be ruffleddzzzz." "And then we'll see," the professor says, responding to Jordan. He pushes himself up, standing straight, brow knitting as he looks out at the doppleganger. Pavlo looks down as the ground and hmms nosily. "What if we stayed... juzt till he's," he nods to Sixmoon, "'climated... to help keep bad stuff away?" "If Sixmoon will be here...then the decision to trust us should be up to him that will be, da," Marlan says. Jordan nods. "That was kinda what I was thinking," Jordan responds to Marlan. Sixmoon smiles faintly. "It's not even a matter of trust. One slip around a powerful psionic and you'd possibly give something away." He then looks back at the lake-Sixmoon. "But Mister Mazzonnoz is right about one thing: The problem is rather moot and, not to be callous, but your purpose is nearly served. Once I am acclimated, it should be within my abilities to do as Those Who Came Before and program something new with the technology to protect this planet's secrets." Mazzonnoz grins. "I can assure you," Noz says, "that my prowess with code outstrips Professor Sixmoon's. It would be ... an enjoyable exercize to show him a trick or two. During the acclimation period. Which, by the way, you anticipate to be how long ..?" The Athena crew is assembled around a figure seemingly made from the water of the lake. It looks like an exact replica of the figure of Stephen Sixmoon. "Six Terran calendar years," the lake-Sixmoon replies. "However, in the interest of preventing further exposure to our technology, it would be best if you depart and never return." Urfkgar is kneeling with a plasma rifle on his thigh, facing the jungle. The rest of the crew is around the lake where a water image of Sixmoon is holding court. Marlan listens quietly to the exchanges for a moment and then asks, "The purpose of the technology here...of He Who Will Be. Is what? Why are you here? To watch Pallisade? Or something else." "SIX," Jordan starts, and then shuts up again, to listen to the rest of the statement. Crelsk steps back slightly, looking at the path leading to the village, then turning his snout to look at Lake-Sixmoon. Pavlo starts towards the path back to the ship, hands shoved deep in is pockets, "I'm Bored!" The boy states. Tryklynn chuckles, "Fine by mezzz, yezyezyez ..' He pauses then, and looks to Sixmoon. "No one ever azzzkzz. Do you wantzzz to zztay herezz?" "We Who Wait were programmed in the Terran calendar year 2612 by Those Who Came Before to anticipate the arrival of He Who Shall Be," the lake-Sixmoon replies. "Our programming indicates that he will continue the efforts of his ancestors to find a way beyond the weapon platform web surrounding Palisade." Kastaprulyi follows Volidana out of the jungle, leaving a trail of thicker mist behind it. ~I can understand better when I know about the situation,~ Kas replies. The figure in the lake then catches its attention and curiosity. Sixmoon smirks, looking from his doppleganger to the Lotorian. "I wouldn't want to stay anywhere else. I'm *meant* to be here." He looks up at the crescent of Palisade slivering the sky. "Well. *There*. But this is a good start." Jordan snags Pav again. "No wandering around on your own," she says, along with a very adult look of warning. Mazzonnoz grins. "And you are agreeable to this purpose?" Noz asks, taking a step forward confidently. "That is, you have been programmed to assist Those Who Came Before and their progeny in gaining access to Palisade?" Zetral nods, very slowly, gazing up towards the sky, still rubbing at his chin. "It is not our place to agree or disagree," the lake-Sixmoon replies. "It is our purpose." Marlan shifts her gaze quickly to Pavlo as he begins to move away, "Pa.." her words die on her lips as Jordan snags him. She turns her attention back to the lake and Sixmoon, "He'll stay here because its where he's meant to be." she says simply, looking to Sixmoon for confirmation, "There's no where else he can even think of being at the moment...is there." Voliarin looks upwards now, "If you need to get past weapon things, and weapon things use electricity or something..." a pause, "Maybe this God could give us a miracle? Anyway to ask him for one?" Sixmoon breaks his gaze away from the planet in the starry sky, then looks toward Marlan. "There's nowhere else I've thought of being since I don't know when. I can't remember when I *wanted* to be where I was before now. I've been obsessed with that planet up there ever since I was a kid, and it only rose to a fever pitch after the Kamir and Hivers wiped each other out on Nocturn." Pavlo frowns at Jordan, "I wasn' gunna wander. I was gunna go back ta the ship an do homework or sum...." He frowns a bit more then sits down and starts picking grass with his fingers, "Eight ones is eight, eight twos is sizteen, eight threes is twen'yfour...." "We don't need a miracle," Noz says, looking between the assembled crewmembers. "If Sixmoon gains access to Palisade, he will be demonstrating a level of proficiency sufficient to demonstrate he's capable of defending himself - correct? Sufficient to prove himself acclimated, that is. Yes or no," he demands of lake-Sixmoon. "Yes," the lake-Sixmoon replies. Jordan listens quietly in the background, just keeping an eye on things-- especially on Pav. Zetral twitches his lips slowly, before moving up beside Pav. "I could take him back to the ship, if you want?" He glances towards Jordan, quizically. "Which would mean that if we leave afterward - and even if we *do* relate the events and speak of the technology we have found here - all of this is not jeopardized. Your programming regarding stewardship of this technology is satisfied. Yes or no," Noz presses. Jordan nods, and looks vaguely relieved. "That would be very helpful," she agrees. Volidana wanders into the clearing looking to the water sixmoon with interest "The kamir anticipated his coming?" she says looking quickly from the real sixmoon to the lake sixmoon to to the group as a whole for confirmation. The little Centauran slides around Volidana to float a few feet ahead and to the side of her, continuing to listen intently in silence. "Since He Who Shall Be has consented to remain, our purpose is not yet served," the lake-Sixmoon replies. "We will remain with him for six years while he becomes acclimated. While we yet exist, we may protect against intruders. And, by then, he shall be fluent enough in our technology to program new matrices for additional purposes. That will provide him the training required to penetrate the defensive web around the world of the Shining Tyrants. Those Who Came With He Who Shall Be are not a threat. You may go." "True true ... but I do not wixzzzh to waitzz zzix yearzzz to findzzz out." Tryklynn crosses his arms. Voliarin nods slowly as he hears all this, but doesn't say anything. Crelsk bobs his snout as Tryklynn speaks, glancing at Pavlo briefly and then back at the lake-figure. Jordan nods in vehement agreement with Tryk. Zetral scratches his head at that head, as he nods in agreement with Tryklynn as well. "Eight fours is firtytwo..." Pavlo continues then rolls his eyes and looks to Dana. "Don't bover... is all borink an stuff... just lotsa talking. The little nano-fingies were waitin for Professor Sixmoon. Is like hes destiny to be here an stuff." Marlan speaks up now, "No one will be remaining here for six years." Marlan replies. She shifts her gaze to Sixmoon, "Other then the Professor." She looks off to the village once more and then towards the nanites, "We are explorers...with your permission.." she shifts her gaze to Sixmoon, "And your Professor. We would like to explore the village before we go." Mazzonnoz purses his lips, shrugs. "Then I don't see any reason why we should remain," Noz says, taking a step back. "Aside from curiousity's sake." He nods at Marlan, falling silent. "Well, we might be able to help a bit," Jordan says, a sparkle in her eyes as she considers the tech around them. "We will not interfere," the lake-Sixmoon replies as it starts to lose shape and then collapse in on itself as it drops back to rejoin the rest of the molecules stirring in the rippling lake. Urfkgar manages to stand up despite some disturbing popping noises that come from his knees. He turns on the lake and asks a few questions, "What stupid glowly place no go? Boom stuff? Stupid softskin floaty thingy stuff? Mud brain stuff? Stupid softskin killeded. What stupid glowly do? Morerer stupid softskins go stupid glowly place? What stupid glowly thingy do Urf kill stupid softskin?" Sixmoon clutches the PDA in his hand. He glances from the Zangali back to the rippling lake, then chuckles. "Come back in six years, I'll program someone to answer you." He starts walking along the path toward the village. Kastaprulyi drifts closer to the others, rising a bit as if to look into the lake batter. "Can other people come do archeology after we go?" Kas queries. Lakeside Village A cluster of metallic prefabricated buildings gathered around a neatly maintained grassy commons, perched on the shore of a glittering lake, not far from a sprawling, dense jungle shrouded in mist. Adjacent to the village is a fenced generator station, which presumably supplies power to the little town. A trail winds away from the town, following the contour of the lakeshore toward the jungle. ---- "Which makes me wonder, Professor - is there any way to measure differences in the passage of time between this place and our normal universe?" Noz asks, jogging a little to catch up. "It would certainly be convenient if time passed relatively quickly here compared to our planets." Jordan troops along to the village with everyone else. Sixmoon smirks. "It would be convenient," he agrees. "But it matches our own universe. Sorry." Mazzonnoz laughs. "Since when has the multiverse taken a turn on my account, right," he says drily, looking around. "There's a data center around here somewhere I have a dinner date with." Noz's voice trails towards a distant mutter at the end of that sentence. Sixmoon shakes his head. "No. I don't think so." He glances toward the Timonae. "The less you know, the less we have to worry about. I'm sorry." "We will have to explain you realize." Marlan begins, talking to Sixmoon, "Why we are returning without you." "Worry about what happening?" Kas adds, accelerating a bit to catch up. "Killeded," says Urfkgar as he passes on his way to the generator station. Sixmoon shrugs. "Tell people I died making that ill-fated spin around the sun over Tomin Kora." Jordan looks decidedly disappointed at Sixmoon's answer, her pda tucked away in a pocket, but still connected to her, the cord snaking up to the jack behind her ear. Pavlo walks along with Marlan, holding her hand looking around at the buildings. "Lotsa space for one person." The boy comments idly. Crelsk's tail flicks as he warily examines the buildings, claws still on his rifle. "That would be the simplest thing," Noz agrees. He glances sidelong at Marlan and gives a wicked grin. "You'll have your hands full explaining yourself to Stumppaw." Volidana hms as she peers around the village "So what is the ending of this little journey quest. Six years of study to gain the skills to gain entrance to Pallisade. Assumming your successful then what?" Marlan raises an eyebrow then smirks slightly, "Only casualty on board the Professor...a casualty we come back with but without a bdoy." she looks into the sky and then at Noz, tossing him a harsh look. "You lost part of your hull, Captain, and had to repair it," the professor says, stopping next to the fence containing the generator. He looks over at Marlan. "Perhaps I was in that section when it breached." Voliarin walks along, looking at Volidana, "I don't know, this is all confusing..." Kastaprulyi suggests some puzzlement at the conversation. "Why not say what happened?" Kas asks. Marlan nods absently to the Professor, apparently it really wasn't as big a concern as she was making it out to be. She pauses now and points to the sky towards Palliside, "That Pav, is Palliside, da. That's the planet we came looking for." Mazzonnoz winks at Marlan, then follows her eyes upwards. "Death by depressurization. On my top ten list of worst ways to die, that's number eight. Right between consumed by acid and being chopped into pieces by an axe murderer." "Because we don't want someone to come looking for what we found," she answers Kas. Sixmoon nods, then looks toward Kastaprulyi. "Show up late for the big exposition by the nano-lake-me, and this is what happens." He chuckles, then extends a hand to Mazzonnoz. "Good luck to you. You're going to need it. You still need to make another circuit around a sun so you can get back, crippled again, to Tomin Kora." Urfkgar wanders along the edge of the fence, thumping it idly with the still charged plasma rifle. Crelsk's tongue flicks out as he peruses the buildings, headspines resting for now. Jordan looks at Tryk and then at Marlan. "We're repaired, but... Can we actually hold together for another round of that, to get back home?" Pavlo looks up at the planet in the sky for a good long while, perhaps making sure he remembers what it looks like, then he waves up at it. "Hi an byee Palisade." Kastaprulyi doesn't seem any less confused. "Some people could keep other people from coming too soon," Kas points out. Mazzonnoz wipes his hand on his pant leg and then extends it to meet Sixmoon's. "Let's hope we wind up with Timonae luck rather than Ungstiri," he replies, shaking the Qua's hand. "It's been an adventure, Professor. I'll be sure to send you a gift basket six years from now on the big day." Sixmoon inclines his head to the Timonae, then looks toward Marlan, extending the same hand to her. "Thank you for everything, Captain. Thanks for getting me here. Now, just make sure you get everyone home in one piece so you can spend that money I gave you." Marlan squeezes Pavlo's shoulder as he waves hi and bye and then turns, extending her hand to the Professor, "I'll get them back. Just make sure to give us a call in six years, da." a grin tugs at her lips, "Don't want to hear you charter any other ship to get you to Palliside, da." Jordan gives Noz a sidelong look. "So, just how *would* you prefer to die?" she questions. Voliarin shrugs as he looks over to Volidana, "I don't know, they're trying to make him into a forbidden technology to make him destroy other technologies..." Sixmoon grins. "I'll definitely keep you in mind," he says, shaking the captain's hand. He nods at the rest of the assembled crew. "Good luck to all of you. Take care." He turns, starts walking off toward the cluster of prefab buildings. Mazzonnoz breaks into a slow grin as he looks back at Jordan. "I can't say now. There's children within earshot." He winks and then returns his attention to the Professor as he departs. Jordan rolls her eyes at Noz's answer, not at all surprised by it, but for some reason looking vaguely pleased with herself. Pavlo waves to Sixmoon as well. "Byee professor. Ma'be I'll be able ta help more when we come back... I'll be..." he counts to six on his fingers, "firteen and stuff." Kastaprulyi offers Sixmoon a suggestion of farewell, "Work well..." Urfkgar comes back around as he completes his circle of the generator's fence. Tryklynn slowly walks through the village, pering into th ebuildings, looking around teach in a haphazard exploration. Marlan watches Sixmoon depart then turns, addressing Jordan first, "We certainly *will* be able to make it back, da. That subject is not even up for debate." she looks towards Noz, "Let's head back to the ship...see if that Timonae luck is still with us, da." Volidana frowns, turnining a deep blue "Aeeia osuiealj Aeeia haan eia Yaasaiere ceai uaaEjanu Aiena uaaEjanu Yaasaiere iui Yaasaiere osuiealj eia aeli Yaasaiere annAi iui oeaineo Aiena Aeeia annAi haan EehAso" Jordan turns her eyes towards Sixmoon, and her smile dies. "Never had a chance, did he?" she mutters, watching him go. And then looks at Marlan, raising one eyebrow. "Well, then, I guess we can't go against a captain's orders," she responds with ironic humor. Pavlo nods in agreement with Marlan, "If we hadna got shot at we woulda bin ok in less time. Goin back'll be easy if we stays away from the shootin stuffs." "Can we explore more tomorrow?" Kas asks enthusiastically. Mazzonnoz nods. "Right," he says, exhaling a heavy breath. "We've got plenty of work left for us tonight, let's be off," he calls, turning back towards the lake." Voliarin nods to Volidana, glowing blue as well, " iui Aeeia oeaineo Aiena iui osuiealj Aeeia ohaieI osuiealj ceai oeaineo annAi iui oeaineo eia ceai ohaieI Aiena EehAso annAi osuiealj ceai aeli osuiealj eia ceai" Marlan shifts her gaze to Kas and then to Pavlo, "Recruit." she says, referring to him by title, "Fill Recruit Kas in on what occured..i want both of you together to come up with a log entry of the event, da. You can do that while we get us back home." Jordan starts heading back as well, not far behind Noz. Crelsk begins trudging back to the path, slinging his rifle over his shoulder. Kastaprulyi suggests agreement to Marlan and slips expectantly in Pavlo's direction, dropping a bit lower. Marlan begins to move with the others down the path. Volidana looks over at Jordan in answer to her rhetorical question "I don't think so" she says as she follows back to the ship Pavlo looks to Marlan, "Yes Captain." then to Kas then frowns a bit. "Is werry confusiminating." He says as he starts to follow the others. "I needs ta fink a bit." Voliarin follows along as well, "Don't worry, I told some of the other crew the story about the Dark Gods and their influence." 1g